Anyone got a compact dozer?????

Highbeam · Aug 12, 2005

Money of course. I could use it forever but the need for it has been much reduced to where a tractor can do the job plus so many other things like cut fields that the dozer can't. In most ways the tractor is an upgrade.

Donman · Aug 12, 2005

I had the same hankering for a dozer 20 years ago when I was a full time home builder and small subdivision developer, so I bought an International 500 and used it quite alot at first. Soon I realized that it was just too clumsy and slow and every time I needed it on the other side of the blacktop street I needed boards or old tires to get it across the street without damage. I traded it for a Bobcat 743 skid steer loader and that was the best investment I ever made. I purchased a set of wheel tracks for it that could be removes in 10 minutes. That skid track could work circles around the dozer and I got so proficient at operating it that even fine grading was no problem. There are so manyattachments that fit it these days that almost any job can be done with it. There are still certain jobs that need a tracked dozer but after having experience with both - just give me the skid steer!

ultrarunner · Aug 12, 2005

I had the same situation and ended up with a 1977 Cat D3 with 6 way blade and ripper. (I really was looking for something smaller that I could tow)

It has been a good machine and always ready when I need it. My Cat dealer is 3 miles from home and has had anything that I needed.

Thought about renting, but then decided that the best time for me to clean-up the fire trails is about 3 days after a good rain...and no way to plan for that. Besides it is just too much fun.

Tim_in_IA · Aug 23, 2005

so what are the important things to look for when checking out a dozer? I've heard the term undercairrage used quite a bit. Is this just the tracks or is it more involved than that? What does the percentage mean? ie 30% undercarriage. Is this kinda like a chainsaw chain being 70% worn?

Does anyone know of a good guide to buying these things?

Highbeam · Aug 23, 2005

Well the "undercarriage" is all the external moving parts that are used to move the dozer. So sprockets, rail (chain), pins and bushings, pads (grousers), rollers, front idler, top idler. The easiest things to check are how pointy the sprocket tips are (they should not be pointy), how thin the contact surface of the rail is (varies by manufacturer), and whether the bushings are round or not(should be pretty round on the outside). There are all kinds of other specs like measuring the distance between the pins, and the height of the grouser bars. If you are fortunate, you will be able to inspect the rollers. The rollers are the small wheels that actually carry the weight of the dozer on the tracks, they should all be round and roll, there should be 5 or more of them on each side sometimes hidden by the track frames.

When they say 30% undercarriage they mean 30% reamaining, if they say 30% worn then you have 70% remaining. Generally people pull this percentage right out of their keesters since all but the most **** do not have the charts for the particular machine. I wouldn't want anything that was supposed to have less than 50% remaining.

But really, in the end, as long as the tracks don't come off then it will work.

Tim_in_IA · Aug 23, 2005

Highbeam,

thanks that helps quite a bit. I'm going to be checking on a '57 D8 and now I have a pretty good idea what to look for.

RonR · Aug 23, 2005

I still think if you are going to buy a used dozer, better take a dozer wizard with you. Giving a dozer-savy guy $100 to let you know the shape of it might be the best money you ever spent.

Ron

Highbeam · Aug 23, 2005

Holy smokes, a D8!!!? That is a bit different. You see a new roller for my 10,000 lb dozer cost me like 125$ and I put it in at home with automotive tools. To replace or repair a machine of that size requires lots of big tools and people. The risk associated with missing something on a dozer like that is a lot higher.

Now if everything is in good shape, a D8 will be near impossible to wear out while dinking around on your place. They were built to be used hard in the harshest environments. Be sure that you know what it takes to move it. A D8 isn't going to be easy or cheap to move. Massive fuel consumption too.

I would bring a pro with you.

How cool would that be? A D8. Super macho power.

Tim_in_IA · Aug 23, 2005

Yeah, still in the very early stages of checking it out. It's pretty old so hopefully price will reflect that. Even if this one doesn't work out I'm going to start paying attention so I know what to look for in the future.

Didn't think much about fuel till you mentioned that. I imagine that this becomes a big issue after a decent amount of usage.

I missed out on a dozer a few years ago that went for $1500. The guy said it popped out of first every so often but he build a couple ponds with it. I could live with stuff like that I guess if it brought the price down.

If I put any decent amount of money towards it I have a guy I can take with me to check it out first.